Addiction Treatment Isn’t Easy

Anyone who tells you that going to an addiction treatment program is easy has probably never been to one. However, this doesn’t mean that every waking minute in a treatment program is unbearable. The first step on the road to recovery is medical detox. It is essential to detox from drugs in a safe medical detox program, usually in a drug treatment center. This is because individuals who try to stop using on their own can experience terrible withdrawal symptoms that not only make it harder to get clean but also put their lives in danger. In this case, time spent in a treatment center is far more comfortable than undergoing detox on one’s own because medical professionals can prescribe medications to alleviate or eliminate withdrawal symptoms. After detox, individuals generally enter a residential treatment program. This is where they begin to put their lives back together, which can be hard work. Patients in an inpatient program will learn how to identify scenarios associated with their past drug use, also known as “triggers”, and replace the desire to use with a healthy behavior. Depending on the drugs a patient abused and how long the addiction lasted, this may take quite some time. Eventually, individuals in recovery will learn not to rely on drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. Another important component of addiction treatment is rebuilding harmed relationships. Since addiction affects everyone around the afflicted individual, relationships become strained and trust is often broken. Healing these relationships may not be easy as people need time to learn to trust the individual again. Allowing them this time can be painful, but it is a necessary part of the path to recovery. Recovery from drug addiction doesn’t only happen in rehab, it is a life long journey. Although it may, at times, include hardships and pain, long-term sobriety is worth every minute of the effort.